SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE LOCAL PLAN
PREFERRED OPTIONS CONSULTATION – Q1 2025
The local authority has launched their Preferred Options consultation on the South Warwickshire Local Plan (SWLP) with a deadline for responses of 7th March 2025. 36 major sites being consulted on in this phase, as well as a further 600 sites, much of which will directly impact the lives of Budbrooke Parish residents, their work or leisure in and around the parish.
If you want to see the detailed map use the following link, and scroll down to figure 6 https://tinyurl.com/83wjnvux
To view the interactive map which enables you to select each of the 36 sites use the following link. https://tinyurl.com/2s48ynbn
To see the further 600 sites you will need to tick the box to “turn-on” the 1st and 2nd call for sites (Aug 2024) under the SWLP Evidence and Site Assessment heading.
The Budbrooke Parish Council would encourage everybody to respond to this consultation. Both objections and comments must be based on planning reasons e.g. building on the green belt, over-development etc. and we list some outline ideas below. Submit a response on the Online Consultation Portal at www.southwarwickshire.org.uk/swlp/preferredoptions There is also a video on this link explaining how to use the portal.
Or alternatively if you find it easier, send your response by email to: swlp@warwickdc.gov.uk
We have also made provision for residents who prefer to respond on paper by making the SWLP form available at the Open Door.
You have until 7th March 2025 to respond
Guidance for objections
Once you have reviewed the proposed Local Plan and all the supporting documentation that accompanies it you should have a few ideas about your grounds for objecting. Don’t worry about forming these into a letter yet, just aim to develop a list of points that are well thought through and cover all the potential areas of concern that you can think of.
Planning considerations
You should review your list to ensure that it only includes points that the Council considers to be “planning considerations”. Many people think loss of a view or a reduction in property value are among their best reasons for objecting, but this is wrong. Neither of these is treated as a planning consideration by planning officers and your objection will be discounted.
Listed below are planning considerations that are substantive. This list is not exhaustive, and if you’re unsure phone (01926 456536) or visit the District Council offices to talk to someone and ask exactly what the Council considers to be planning considerations.
1) Detrimental impact upon residential amenity and the visual impact of a development (what it will be like to look at, NOT the loss of a view). This includes the impact on the character of an area, availability of infrastructure, density, over-development, layout, design, external appearance of buildings and landscaping
2) Noise and smell
3) Any adverse impact on protected trees, woods or hedges
4) Inappropriate development in the Green Belt. NOW is the time to persuade the Council not to develop on Green Belt. If the Council goes forward with proposals to take land out of the Green Belt, it is now likely that the Inspector will agree. Once a piece of land is taken out of Green Belt, the strongest argument against development is lost
5) Loss of privacy and overlooking, overshadowing/loss of light (NOT loss of acquired rights to light)
6) No or insufficient infrastructure such as GP surgeries, shops, schools and other community assets
7) Impact on traffic and highways not able to cope with the volume of the additional traffic, highway safety is compromised, traffic generation and road capacity inadequate, means of access, visibility, car parking and effects on pedestrians/cyclists
8) Public services, such as drainage, water supply and increasingly electricity capacity are inadequate
9) Where development is contrary to government planning policy
The following are NOT planning considerations:
Loss of a private view Loss of value to your property
Loss of private access rights Development contrary to a private covenant
Loss of acquired rights to light Access for maintenance
Finally-
Objections will be ignored if copied and pasted. Great idea to save time but they will not be considered.
You don’t have to be local to object, so if you know anyone who isn’t local but enjoys being out and about in our beautiful open spaces, please get them to read the guidance and object too.